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Dave's Journey
Updated 2nd July 2008
Inspired by
Julia's Journey,
ajarn.com was contacted by Dave Montgomery, a middle-aged gentleman living in
sunny Florida in the USA. Dave was also planning the move to Thailand at the
end of 2007, so we thought it would be a great idea to contrast Dave's journey
with that of Julia's. Let's begin with the introductions and see how we get
along.
9th
November 2007
My name is Dave. I am 45, I live in Melbourne Florida, USA, and I'm on the
verge of making a life-changing event to live in Thailand. I met my beautiful
wife here in the US and found out afterwards that she was half-Thai and
half-American and her father had lived in Udon Thani for the past 30 years -
and he was an English teacher.
Ever since I was a very young child I knew I wanted to live in a SE Asian
country. We own a small farm with a simple Thai style house just outside Udon
that I find quite relaxing and comfortable.
I have been to Udon and the surrounding area twice in the last six years.
Luckily for me, my wife and in-laws have prepared me for this huge step in my
life. I am nervous about doing a TEFL course as I do not really know to expect.
I have read about how intense these courses can be and hope I am up to the
challenge but I will approach it with the same passion I have for wanting to
live in the kingdom.
Visas are the one thing that makes me worry some, as we will be coming over on
one-way tickets and having read on the internet forums on how the mood of the
immigration officer can make or break you on entering the county. We are
planning to make the trip over sometime in mid-December so the countdown is on.
We do have an escape plan in the event that everything goes sour in Thailand but
I feel very optimistic.
9th
November 2007
Well Dave. The countdown is well and truly on. Your story should make a very
interesting contrast with Julia's. She's a British lady; you're an American guy.
She plans to work in Bangkok, whereas you've obviously got your heart set on
working out in the sticks.
I think many new arrivals would envy you from a distance because you've already
got something of a support network set up. Even though you'll probably be living
in the middle of nowhere, you haven't got to worry about ordering meals or
getting your ironing done (that's assuming your wife is one of those rare
domesticated types)
I think having a Thai support network can be something of a double-edged sword
though. Thai family members and Thai friends can sometimes be full of
well-meaning advice but I've found from experience they don't always get it
right. I'd always advise you to go with your instincts and seek out people that
have been there and done it. I can't think of specific examples right now but I
know this way of thinking has always stood me in good stead. I'm not imploring
you to rock the boat and disrupt the family harmony but think about what's best
for Dave Montgomery from time to time.
I get a lot of questions from people worried
about entering Thailand on one-way visas, and reading some of the popular
Thailand forums you would think that people get turned away in droves. It simply
isn't the case. I don't personally know a single person who's had a problem with
the Thai immigration - certainly not at the airport. If there's a problem with
your visa, it's usually the airline company that'll raise a red flag at the
check-in counter. I presume at some stage you'll be going for the marriage visa
anyway so what type of visa are you planning to arrive on. Also what TEFL course
have you decided to take and what influenced your decision? I look forward to
your questions. Who knows, we might have someone in Udon Thani offer their help
along the way.
19th
November 2007
Hi Phillip, Here is another installment of my up coming journey. So far,
things here in the US are going smoothly with regard to the move but there is a
little snag. Thanksgiving is just a few short days away and I am feeling a bit
of family pressure to stay for the winter holidays. Seems the family would like
to have both my wife and I around for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years day
and then have us leave. With this in mind, we will postpone our departure from
the US until the middle of January when the airfares drop in price.
Getting ready to leave for a foreign country and a new life has had an
interesting affect on people, along with me. One thing I have noticed is I seem
to be looking at the local area with a different perspective and trying to
commit the sites, sounds, smells, and experiences to memory. Living here in
Florida has seen some of the best days of my life like meeting my wife, learning
to fly an airplane, seeing the many launches of the Space Shuttle and other
rockets, living only seven miles from the Atlantic Ocean, building my high
performance VW Bug, and working for my family’s business just to name a few. As
far as family and friends have been, let's just say - a little different. I have
noticed that they are starting to distance themselves from me. I see it as a
self-defense mechanism against having there feelings hurt by my departure but it
does feel odd. For the most part our friends have expressed everything from
sadness to joy and even envy from a few.
I would like to thank you Phil for forwarding the letters you have received on
behalf of my story as I will write back to everyone who takes the time to write
with an offer to help or ask questions. I have been talking to another teacher
who has taught in Udon. He has emailed me quite a few documents on TEFL and will
be a great help. I also have talked to an administrator of a school in Udon to
ask from what TEFL schools he would hire someone.
In closing, I would like to thank both Phillip and you the reader for watching
my story unfold before your eyes. I would like to end this letter with a quote
from the song (Eminem: Lose Yourself)
“Look, if you had one shot, or one opportunity, To seize everything you ever
wanted-One moment, Would you capture it or just let it slip?”
7th December 2007
I have cast the first die and tempted the Gods of fate as I have enrolled in a
TEFL course in Thailand. After many hours of writing and speaking with as many
people that I could find to ask about different schools I have made my decision.
The school that came to the top of the crowd is a sponsor of this web site. Text
and Talk Academy is the winner of my hard-earned money. I feel there are two
things that caused me to pick T&T over the multitude of other schools. One is
the people I talked with that attended T&T and the other was speaking with Mr.
Leigh Richards that works at T&T. In keeping with my desire to live and work in
Isaan, I will attend T&T in Khon Kaen.
Now starts the visa processes and tying up loose ends here in the USA. Mr.
Richards has been very helpful with the information on visas and I see little
problems there. I am having a slight problem with importing our family parrot.
So far, all I have gotten from the Royal Thai Consulate General is information
on importing dogs and cats. If anyone would have any information on this, would
you please forward me their letters?
I took a short trip to Tennessee to visit a favorite Aunt of mine and I was
quite surprised to find she was very happy to see me start this new life on the
other side of the planet. As fate would have it, we went to a Thai restaurant in
Tennessee and the owner had gotten his PhD. in Khon Kaen University and agreed
to help in any way he can with the contacts he still has there. My Aunt felt as
though I was supposed to meet this gentleman and the path I have chosen is the
correct one.
As I write this letter I can see the suitcases, my wife has packed in
anticipation of our departure from the US. Many of the things one collects as
time goes by are now sold, given away, or thrown away and the house is slowly
emptying. It appears as that both cars will be sold along with the furniture. We
are now waiting to get the visas once we have them then I shall cast the second
die and buy our plane tickets and pass the point of no return. It looks like
January 8 is D-Day if no major problems have to be faced.
11th December 2007
Hi Phillip, As the time is starting to
wind down I have a question on what I should bring from my home country. This
question should hopefully help others thinking of changing there life's and
moving to Thailand.
So if you had it to do all over again what would you bring from your home
country? I would like to hear about what you will need, what you should have,
and what you would have liked to have brought.
So far I have warm weather clothes and a few cool weather things packed. I will
bring my laptop computer, external hard drive, wireless router and wireless
music bridge. The few other things I will pack are family pictures and a few
core RPG gaming books. This is an appeal to both you and your readers as I will
be bringing my pet Eclectus parrot to Thailand. I have been searching the
Internet, talking with the Thai Consulate, and have been posting to forums with
little success. I hope you or your readers may be able to help with this
problem.
11th December 2007
Hi Dave. Hopefully one of our readers might be able to help you on the
parrot dilemma because frankly speaking, I haven't got a clue. There's really
nothing from the UK that I can't get here apart from maybe powdered cooking
sauces (I always stock up on those when I go back home). Years ago in the days
before the internet, I used to buy up lots of videos of my favorite TV programs
but now there's hardly anything that you can't download for free. Not only is it
more convenient but you can save a ton of money into the bargain. There are
computer shops everywhere you look in Thailand so you needn't worry about
computer hardware / software, etc. I bought a 200 GB external hard-drive just
the other week and also had a fan replaced for about five dollars. Sometimes it
seems like everyone has a computer here so a computer repair shop can be a very
lucrative business.
11th January 2008
Hello Phillip, I have just cast my second and final die as I just received
my visa and ordered my plane tickets. I would like to publicly thank Text & Talk
Academy for there help in getting my visa and making the whole process simple. I
feel as though I made a good choice in schools but only time will tell. If only
the process of importing my parrot to Thailand could be as easy. This is where
the story turns sad as due to the bird flu problem in Asia Thailand is not
allowing the import of any birds. I have been lucky to have my friends watch him
until one day Thailand lifts the ban on the importation of birds.
I have just talked to my father in-law and he has been informing a few of
the schools in the area of my arrival and of my desire to teach English. He has
told me that more than just a few are willing to take me in right off the plane
but I’m sticking to my guns and going to T&T to get my TEFL and only then I feel
I “might “ be ready to step into a classroom but inside I can’t wait to get
started.
We will be arriving at Suvarnabhumi Airport at 12:10am local time and then I
guess we will get a taxi and drive over to Don Mueang airport to catch the early
flight up to Udon Thani. Suvarnabhumi is going to be a new experience for me
where as going to back to Don Mueang is going to be like seeing an old friend I
haven’t seen for a few years. Another experience will be dealing with Bangkok
taxis and traffic but I’ve been told not to worry at this hour of the morning.
I would like to ask once I get settled in what should I try to do to get my new
life started in Thailand. I will have about one month before I head off to Khon
Kaen and start my classes at Text & Talk. One thing my Father in-law mentioned
was getting my Thai drivers license for both car and motorcycle. I would like to
hear your advice on a new resident to the land of smiles and if you may have a
check list of “must do’s” to go by?
With any luck I will try to give both you and the readers a running report of my
progress across the planet as I land in the different airports on my way to my
new home. From what I have read on the “net” there are quite a few free Internet
“hot spots” for wireless laptop users and I will try to use these to relay my
reports.
I was hoping to spend a few days in Bangkok if for nothing else to meet you
personally but my wife is very anxious to get back to Udon Thani and I can not
blame her. Therefore I would like to extend my invention to you that if the
hustle and bustle of Bangkok starts to wear on you come up to Isaan and I’ll
show you around Udon. Here you will enjoy an Isaan favorite “gai yang” or a
marinated and roasted chicken that is to die for. Also an Udon favorite and
hoarded by the local expats is Beer Lao and golden nectar that on rare occasion
I can get here in the US. I truly love to see and experience Bangkok one day
maybe during a school holiday and then you can give me a few pointers on how to
enjoy the “Big City” life.
11th January 2008
Hi Dave. Glad to hear that things have gone smoothly on most fronts - the
exception being of course the saga with your beloved pet parrot. I can't say I'm
surprised that Thailand won't allow you to bring it in with all the bird flu
scares we've had over the past few years, but it was worth a try. I'm sure you
have someone back home who'll take very good care of it.
I've got my parents coming to visit me on
Sunday for a month and like you, even though they've used the old Don Muang
airport many times, the modern Suwanabhum airport will be a totally new
experience. I've flown out of Suwanabhum about three or four times now and I
still can't make my mind up. It's nearer to my house than Don Muang so it's a
little quicker to get to, but I liked the old airport. I knew where everything
was and it was never too far to walk anywhere. The place never seemed crowded
either despite being quite small by international airport standards. The moment
you get dropped off at Suwanabhum and go through the automatic doors, you're
overpowered by sheer numbers of people. Everywhere seems too far to walk, and
I'm already bored with the choice of restaurants. One thing I did hope for when
they opened the new airport was good riddance to the taxi mafia who hassle you
the moment you come through the arrival gate. If anything, the new airport is
worse! They really do need to sort that out. It's always a pain in the butt
having to wave away those folks when you've just had a long, often sleepless
flight.
I think your plan to 'take things as they come
and not rush into any old job offer' is a very good one. I'm sure your
father-in-law means well, but you're going to be the one working there - not
him. Get the TEFL certificate under your belt, apply for some jobs in person and
have a good look around each school. Decide whether you'd be happy working
there. Some schools are sure to be more appealing than others. But at least you
know the job opportunities are already there.
I've never lived in rural Thailand so I'm
probably not the best person to ask on how to kick-start your life in Udon.
However, you've got your wife, your Thai family, and once you start work, you'll
make more friends - Thais and foreigners alike. I would just let life take its
course and see where it leads. It's not like you're going to be Mr Lonely up
there.
Thanks for the invite. I do like my 'grilled
chicken and sticky rice' :) Who knows, I might get up there one day. Good luck
with the journey and keep us all posted on your first few months in Thailand.
23rd January 2008
Hello Philip, I am very happy to inform both you and the readers that I am
now in country and I could not be happier. I was planning on giving a running
account of my travel across the globe but my email was crashing and I did not
find out until today that my email server would not except email from outside
the network, oh well live and learn.
We left Melbourne early in the morning and on time with calm winds and dark
skies. We flew in what we call a small “puddle jumper” jet aircraft and it seems
my wife's carry-on bag was a bit to large so it had to be put in the belly of
the aircraft, no problem. The problem occurred when we landed in Atlanta Georgia
and had to retrieve the bag outside, and by outside I mean standing in 37*F with
a stiff wind blowing. By the time we got back into the terminal I was shaking
for at least 10 minutes until I warmed up. Atlanta was a nice airport and well
laid-out and the prices were not too expensive.
Our flight to Korea left on time and we flew in a Boeing 777 and what a great
aircraft - smooth, nice seats, and every seat had a personal entertainment
system that made the 15 hour flight bearable. Landing in Korea my wife got to
see snow for the first time in her life from the aircraft window. Incheon
International Airport again I thought was a very nice airport but the prices for
food and beer were expensive to say the least.
The last leg of the journey, we left Korea on Korean Airlines on a Boeing
777-300 and although this aircraft did not have the personal entertainment
systems the seat were large and comfortable and the service was top notch and I
would recommend them to anyone flying. Again we left on time and had a smooth
flight all the way to Bangkok.
Landing in Bangkok the first thing I notice is it’s the first time I have been
warm since leaving Florida and it was a welcome feeling. Exiting the plane I get
my first look at the Suvarnabhumi Airport and it was not what I was expecting.
The whole place is an industrial minimalist look of steel, glass, and poured
concrete. Being the Thailand I know and love so much one could see you could not
hide the little blemishes on the ultra modern monster that makes Thailand,
Thailand.
Standing in line I was nervous as I have been hearing horror stories about
immigration. My fears where heightened when a pair of young French girls were
turned back for some problem with their paperwork I think but I can not be sure.
I step up to the counter and produce my passport and cross my fingers. The lady
looks at my passport then asks to see my plane tickets and I think to myself “oh
God what” and hold my breath. At that time my lovely wife comes bouncing up to
the other lady officer next to me and informs both that I am her husband. Their
attitude changed just like that and the officer stamps my passport and sends us
on through. Getting our four large bags we make our way out to the taxis but the
story doesn’t stop yet. Passing through customs my wife is a few people ahead of
me and the customs officer want to see my luggage. I have no fear as I do not
have anything to worry about but I just think about the hassle of having my
luggage checked. Again my wife comes up and again a change of attitude and they
just put it through the x-ray machine and give us both a salute.
I am happy to inform everyone that if they miss the taxi mafias from Don Muang
then do not worry because they're at Suvarnabhumi in force - and larger than
ever. Sadly due to the size and number of our bags the regular taxis wound not
hold both us and the baggage so we had to use a mini van to go to Don Muang.
Driving through the outskirts of Bangkok I started to get the feeling of coming
home. Arriving at Don Muang was like seeing an old friend again after being away
for too long. We went inside and waited for six hours for our flight to Udon.
Next time I will fly Nok Air as they leave for Udon Thani at 7:30am. As it was
we flew on Thai Airlines and left for Udon at 9:00am. Well we were supposed to
board at 8:55am but we did not board until 9:15 and again another reason to fly
Nok.
Flying to Udon only takes 45 minutes, which was nothing after all the flying
hours we had logged. Coming in over Udon I can make out landmarks and see our
soi where I will be living as it is not too far from the airport. Pulling up to
the gate I get another shock. Udon has ramps that attach to the plane now and we
don’t have to walk down the stairs and across the tarmac and enter the terminal
anymore. After getting our bags we find that the family isn’t here which is
better because of all the bags we have. We hire a local man with a pick-up truck
and make our way home.
Traveling out of the airport I see all the familiar sites and my heart starts to
race. I can not believe how happy I am to be here. Pulling into our soi and
stopping in front of the house the girl that owns a small store stares at the
truck trying to figure out who this is? I wish I had a camera ready for the look
on Id’s face when she sees me coming out of the truck and she screams and runs
over to give both me and my wife a big hug. We walk into to the courtyard of the
family estate and announce our arrival. Again the family is happy to see us once
again and we are shown to our new apartment. The apartment is perfect for us as
it has two large rooms, air-conditioning and a nice bathroom with hot water.
I have been here in Udon since Sunday and so far both my wife and I have our new
cell phones. She has gotten her new Thai ID, and I have got a new wireless
router working and did some maintenance on both my father in-law's and sister
in-law's computers. Next on the list is to get my Thai drivers license and
contact Text and Talk and go to Khon Kaen to meet the staff and get my books. I
will be looking for a set of wheels to get around on and have already put
“feelers” out looking for a 400cc+ bike.
Tonight we have had what I call a typical Isaan style dinner. To start cast iron
charcoal burners are lighted and a cone shaped aluminum cooking device is placed
on top. Out comes two pots of marinated meat, fresh vegetables and soup broth.
We all seat outside on plastic mats talk, laugh, and drink and cook our meal.
After the meal we all retire to different parts of the house to play cards,
watch TV, drink more and for myself write this report.
With this latest report I hope I have given you a both a ride across the globe
along with a little slice of Isaan life. Only after a few days of being here I
believe I made the right decision of coming here. I do miss both my family and
my beloved parrot but I have gotten emails from the family and they are both sad
to see us go but happy for me as they see my new life starting. My parrot’s
foster family says he is happy and doing well and I will be checking weekly in
any change in a chance of him joining me in LOS. Best regards, Dave
23rd January 2008
Glad to hear that you made it to Thailand safely Dave. It's quite a journey
isn't it? I'm sure I echo the thoughts of many ajarn readers by saying we look
forward to hearing how things unfold for you - the TEFL course, the job hunt,
those first teaching weeks, etc, etc. Keep us posted.
23rd March 2008
Hi Phil, seems like it's been forever since I last wrote to you with my
ongoing story, so here is a mini update. As you know I am in the Text & Talk
TEFL course here in Khon Kaen and I can see the light at the end of the tunnel.
I will be having my final exam this Tuesday and then graduation on Thursday. I
would like to inform both you and your readers at the present time I am very
happy with the course but it has been quite challenging to say the least. The
work load of this course is very heavy and leaves little time for entertainment
and just enough time to decompress before classes start again.
In this course you will teach six classes of students - and this has been an
eye-opening experience. You will have many of your preconceived ideas of
teaching destroyed only to be replaced with methods that help you to teach in
Thailand. I must admit I enjoyed teaching the Thai kids much more than I though
I would but it was also a very humbling event. We are evaluated by professional
TEFL teachers and graded the same as experienced teachers so the bar has been
set very high. I am happy to report that my evaluations have been in the 'very
good' to excellent range. Speaking of evaluators I was evaluated by a Thai lady
(and I use the term "lady" very loosely) that works in the Thai school system
and at the first meeting I could see she had nothing but disdain and contempt
for me. The lesson was not much fun either as the lesson I was to teach was for
a pre-intermediate class but the students that came to class were beginners at
best. Thinking fast I adapted the lesson as best as I could but in the end I was
disappointed. The Thai woman did her best, in perfect grammar but poorly
pronounced English, to tell me how awful the lesson was and she asked me why was
I taking the TEFL course. She also went on to say how ALL TEFL courses are
worthless here in Thailand. She came back to evaluate another student in the
class I'm in and again a very poor review but this time another person listened
in and the opinions were exact opposites. This 'devil woman' was told she would
not be welcomed back as an evaluator anymore. I have been warned of these people
working in the Thai school system - those that hate farang teachers - and now
I've seen it first hand. The education I have received at T&T has gone far
beyond just grammar and teaching methodology but a good primer of what to expect
both good and bad in the Thai school system.
After next week I will graduate and be ready for the job hunt to start. I
believe if I have timed it right doesn't the new school year start the first
week of May? If this is true, is there any advice you would like to pass on in
the face of all the trouble I have been reading about? I have read about this
new program that the government wants all teachers to take along with news of
funding being cut to schools and English programs being scrapped due to no money
to pay foreign teachers. Text & Talk offers employment assistance and I will use
it but I would like to hear where you think I should start or focus my efforts
on looking for employment. I'll be checking again after graduation and I look
forward to seeing what you have to say.
Best regards, Dave
23rd March 2008
Hi Dave. Yes it's been a while. I'm glad to hear that your TEFL course has
gone well. You say that it's been tough, but these courses are not cheap. You
wouldn't expect it to be an easy ride. And what's most valuable is the
experience you are getting in a Thai classroom. Cometh the first day of your new
job (wherever that may be) at least you'll walk into the classroom with half an
idea what to expect. It's a great shame though that you met the Thai 'farang-hater'.
Don't let the experience put you off teaching, because these people are
definitely in the small minority.
You've certainly timed your job hunt perfectly
Dave. The months of April and May are easily the busiest hiring months in
Thailand, and last year, June was very busy as well. A lot of schools start back
in May for the new term. It's then they find out their 'new teacher' hasn't
turned up for work because he / she got a better offer at the last minute, or
one week into the new term, they discover the new guy is a chronic alcoholic who
can't get up in the morning (seen that happen many times). As a result, you get
a lot of schools pressing the panic button in June. It certainly happened last
year.
There's still a lot of confusion over this new
cultural program for teachers Dave. Some schools are insisting their foreign
teachers take it while other institutes are blissfully unaware of the whole
thing. I would play it by ear and bring up the topic at the interview. If your
new employer insists you take it then ask if they will foot the bill (if you
don't ask you don't get)
When the job hunt starts in earnest, fix up as
many interviews as you feel comfortable with but remember - it's a teacher's
market out there. Don't even waste your time traveling to attend interviews if
you're not 100% comfortable with the sound of the job. Get as much information
about the position before you go. If the employer isn't willing to give you
enough answers on the phone then give it a wide berth. Why don't you see what
Text and Talk can offer you with their job finding service and then get back to
me.
8th April 2008
Hi Phil. Here is the latest news from the sticks. I began the job search on
Monday and on the short list of places I wanted to teach at were a private
language school and a large
government high school here in town.
I dropped in to the private language school and met with the manager. After a short interview he said he
didn't have any openings at this time but he would have a few teachers going on
vacation and wanted to know if I would like some part-time work. Of course I
said yes. He said if he had a stream of students coming to the office saying
they had enjoyed my classes, we might talk about something more permanent.
The big government high school is number one on my list simply because I have
been told it's a great school to work for and I talked with a few of the falang
teachers there and they seemed very happy. They told me the students are great
and the hours are good. I went for my first interview and must have impressed
the head of foreign teachers as he asked me to come back at the end of the week
to meet the Thai English teachers. That interview went very well and they asked
me to do a "sample" lesson for the Thai teachers as students last Saturday.
Again I felt my "lesson" went well and I had the charm turned up to kill and my
attire was sharp, clean, and I smelled good too. I was told they wanted to
discuss what they thought of me and would get back to me later.
So this is where I am now. Should I wait for an answer or go out and start
pounding the pavement again? My father in-law (a retired Ajarn here) feels I
have a good chance of the job at the school along with other falang teachers I
have met. My question is how long does it take these schools to make up there
minds? So what I'm asking is 'to wait or not to wait', that is the question?
I would like to say that the training I took at Text and Talk in Khon Kaen
really helped in the interview at the Thai high school as I knew what to expect
and was able to avoid a few well placed land-mines that the Thai teachers set
during the lesson. I am sure without the training I would not have made it this
far. This is just my feelings about T&T and I'm not being compensated for this
review in anyway. If anyone has any questions about T&T, Phil you can just
forward the emails to me.
8th April 2008
Hi Dave. Good to see that you've wasted no time in getting your resume out
there and knocking on a few doors. Now is certainly the time of year for
door-knocking. I think out of the two choices, the government high school sounds
like the best bet, if only for the reason it's a full-time position. No
disrespect to the private language school, but their offer sounds like a 'bits and pieces' deal - that's
if it ever comes off. If you find yourself doing a few hours here and there,
then you seriously limit your options as regards proper full-time employment. In
your shoes I would go all out for a full-time job first and fit any part-time
work into a few evenings a week, when private language schools are busiest (I'm
presuming the language school follows the business model of the main branch in
Bangkok)
He said if he had a stream of students
coming to the office saying they had enjoyed my classes, we might talk about
something more permanent.
Frankly that sentence worries me. You're there
to teach - not win a popularity contest. OK, no teacher wants students marching
up to the reception desk and lodging complaints, but to judge a teacher -
especially a new teacher who's just finished his training - on the number of
students who sing his praises, well that's just plain daft. No teacher - new or
otherwise - should be put under that kind of 'pressure' or judged on that
criteria. It's simply unfair.
When is that high school going to get back to
you? It could be tomorrow, it could be after Songkran, it might be never. It
depends how badly they need a teacher and how good or terrible their
communication is. In your position, always end an interview by thanking the
interviewer, telling them you are interested in the position, but tell them you
have quite a few other interviews to attend (even if you haven't). Create a
sense of urgency on their part. You might even say "could you let me know your
decision by...........". It's perfectly acceptable in this day and age. Keep on
interviewing at other places Dave. It's a teacher's market. You don't owe it to
yourself to sit by the phone waiting for one school to give you the nod simply
because 'they like you'. Thais are good at 'liking' people and saying all the
right things to your face. Don't let that lull you into a false sense of
security, despite what your father-in-law might say.
14th May 2008
Here is the latest update to my story. Seems Udon's schools are full for the
most part so sadly I have had to expand my search. Thanks to both Ajarn.com and
Text & Talk for finding two very good possibilities.
One school is in Khon Kaen and is a prestigious government school. The other
school is in deepest darkest Issan. It too is a government school but with much
smaller classes and A/C classrooms. One add-on is I will receive a house for my
wife and I to live in for free. Both pay the same so now it's time to pick.
You're right, once I expanded my search beyond Udon it is a teachers market. The
tough choice is village life, free rent, save money and gain experience with
smaller classes or big city Issan, night life, shopping, and large classes of 13
to 15 year olds. I would like to hear some of your ideas in choosing a school to
teach in.
With any luck I will be sending you a update rather soon on my choice and my
first impressions of my new job. I enjoy writing these updates and I've even
meet a few readers of my journey. Thanks for the forwarded emails as I write
back to everyone who takes the time to write me. Look for an update in about a
week or two.
27th May 2008
Here is another installment of my adventure here in Thailand. As I said
before I was torn between taking the job in Khon Kaen or taking the job in the
sticks of Isaan. I decided on the school in the sticks. All things considered I
picked this school because of class size, quality of classroom, and school
environment.
The name of the town is Borabue and it is a 4-hour bus ride from my beloved Udon
Thani. Ahh yes, good old Borabue. The town itself is about 5 or 6 blocks long
with only one stop-light in the middle of town. I haven’t had much of a chance
to see the town yet as last week both my wife and I were trying to get settled
in our new home. I will report back on the town in the next update.
Now for the school itself. I think it will be a good place to gain both
experience and confidence teaching here in Thailand. The high school has about
2500 students and draws from many outlying villages. The school has an MEP or
mini English program that was started just two years ago. I’m the first native
speaker the school has had for this program. My job is strictly conversational
English. The other English teachers are from both the Philippines and the east
coast of Africa. We have an MEP office with computer and internet access (that
isn’t working) my own desk and a staff refrigerator and hot water pot for
coffee. I was amazed to find that the students come in to clean the office
everyday! This is truly amazing Thailand as this would never happen back in the
states.
The students I have vary greatly in there English skills. The MEP kids are quite
good whereas the kids in just the foreign language classes need a lot of help. I
only have M6 kids in the foreign language classes whereas in the MEP I have
students from M1 to M3. Sadly because I have anywhere from 38 to 45 kids per
class once a week in M6 only the brightest of the students will get anything
from the lessons. I informed all my classes that if they need any help with
their English to come see me. I won’t do their homework for them but if they
have a real question or are curious about some aspect of English then I’ll be
there to help. I also told them that if they see something on TV or hear
something on the radio that they don’t understand, to come see me and I’ll help
them to find the answer. I hope some of the students take me up on my offer to
expand there horizons but my father in-law told me not to hold my breath
waiting.
I’m happy to say that so far I have enjoyed being with the Thai teachers. When I
started I was told that they would like me to look at the Thai teachers' lesson
plans, reinforce the lesson and help the students speak and pronounce their new
vocabulary. I haven’t got any lesson plans as yet so I am forging ahead with
conversation lessons. Another thing I find very appealing is how friendly the
teachers are and how they involve me with their off-campus activities. It's nice
to see I’m not expected to pay for everything just because I’m a farang.
I would like to hear any tips you may have on dealing with both the students and
teachers. Also I would like to hear any other advice you might have for a rookie
teacher.
Dave
27th
May 2008
Firstly congratulations on finding a job Dave. It's a shame that you
couldn't find anything in your beloved Udon Thani, but I guess you're thinking
that you need to just get your foot on the first rung of the ladder and build up
a bit of confidence and experience. You'll certainly get that from classes of 38
to 45 kids. Wow! That's a lot of students. It's also good that you are operating
an 'open-door' policy, but your father-in-law is absolutely right. Don't hold
your breath waiting for a whole gang of kids eager to share with you something
they heard on the radio that morning.
To be honest Dave, I have no experience whatsoever of teaching in this kind of
environment or with a staffroom of Thai teachers where as a foreigner I'm in the
minority. Let's throw things open to the readers and see if any of them have got
some good advice for you. Send your thoughts to
philip@ajarn.com and I'll put the advice
on this page - Dave's Journey.
2nd
July 2008
Here it is I’m at the six week mark and wow what an experience. If I have to
sum it up in one word I would say, dizzying. In these six weeks I’ve been taken
to dinner a number of times, stayed with a student’s family in one of the
villages to see a “Bun Bang Fai” up close, seen two school celebrations, and
been on a school sponsored 3-day vacation! Let’s start with the dinners. It
seems as if every other week my wife and I are asked to go to dinner with one of
the directors or teachers. We both enjoy this as it gives us a chance to connect
with both the administration and staff. Next we were invited to one of my
student’s home in a village about 15km's from school. Up here in Isaan there is
the Thai rocket festival of Bun Bang Fai to welcome the rainy season. If you
have never seen this your missing a great spectacle. After the rockets were shot
off (with no injuries or fatalities) we headed off to the temple grounds to
watch a live show. This was quite an experience living the rural village life
for a weekend. I was humbled at how we were treated as honored guests.
For the school celebrations this school knows how to put on both a show and
presentation. The first was for the “Pray for the Teacher Day” in which the
students make Thai style fresh flower arrangements for the whole day and then
the next day they present them to the teachers. I have to admit I got a tear in
my eye when my students presented me with there arrangements with huge smiles on
there faces. The next was a Thai play done in traditional dress and the style
and colors were amazing. After the show the student's wanted to pose with both
my wife and I in the costumes from there play. So to say the least the pictures
were stunning seeing the student's dressed up.
Last is the school sponsored vacation in which we went to a school on the
outskirts of Bangkok to see there English Program. I was in shock when I saw all
the resources the school had along with an E.P. only library both myself and the
other foreign teachers where so jealous of. Then over to the Bridge over the
River Kwai and I could not believe I was seeing this piece of history. I’ve only
read about or seen shows of the sacrifices of the men that build and died
rebuilding the bridge under the harsh treatment they had to endure during WWII.
Then a barge ride up the river Kwai eating a delicious dinner and ending at a
beautiful resort for a party and karaoke. The next day we loaded up on the buses
and then stopped for the ladies to do some shopping before heading off to
Cha-um. The beach at Cha-um reminds me of Florida and the teachers asked me if I
was homesick, I answered the only two things I miss are my American family and
especially my parrot. Next stop was the beach palace of King Rama 6 and being a
fan of architecture I was stunned at not only the beauty but, the sheer size of
the place. Truly this was a place worthy of the King of Thailand. If you ever
have a chance to see this place I recommend it.
As you can see I’ve been very busy and between all this I managed to slip in a
few lessons to the kids. I’m happy to say I have been seeing the students making
good progress in class. My wife is now my teacher’s assistant as she speaks
English, Thai, and Lao she has been a great help. She also helps the
administration communicate with the foreign teachers. I’m also pleased to report
that all of the foreign teachers although being from different backgrounds are
working very well together and we enjoy each others company.
I believe that even though I’m in the middle of nowhere Isaan I have landed in a
wonderful school. The campus is beautiful, the MEP class rooms have A/C with
sound systems and LCD projectors, but the best part is the students. Sure there
is a downside as there is no nightlife to speak of and the schools Internet
connection is abysmal. As far as TV goes out here I only get two English
speaking channels but I can’t complain as the school gives me this house and
satellite TV service for free. Living on campus is not that bad either as if I
need anything from home I just walk to the house. At night the place is quite
and safe so all an all I think I’ve done pretty well for just starting out here.
I have a border run to make this week for my 90 day stamp so I’ll be cutting out
of school Thursday and Friday to run to Laos. I hope to have my work permit
finished this month so I can get truly settled in. My question is how long does
it take to get a work permit? Also should I just run my present visa out as I
get a break every 90 days and then get my new visa based on the W/P then I don’t
need to make a border run every 90 days?
Best regards, Dave
2nd July 2008
Wow! Cracking update Dave. It sounds as though you are really settling in
and enjoying Thai life. I agree with you about that Thai palace in Hua Hin. It's
well worth seeing and I always take visitors there if we're in the area. How
long it takes your school to get the work permit depends on many factors. How au
fait your admin staff are with the whole process would be top of the list. That
said, it really shouldn't take more than four weeks so I would expect you to do
only one visa run and then you should have things well and truly sorted out. Let
us know how that goes and how things worked out for you in Laos. You don't hear
quite as many horror stories about the Thai consulate in Vientiane as you used
to, and provided your paperwork is in order, I can't see a nice guy like you
having any problems.
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